


Cooperation

by Tim (boywonder)



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-28
Updated: 2009-11-28
Packaged: 2017-10-03 21:38:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boywonder/pseuds/Tim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for an FF anon meme. Prompt was Rufus/Kadaj. Spanking/domination. "Didn't your mother ever spank you when you were little?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cooperation

"You underestimate me," he says, smoothly, though he does not stand up to prove his point. He doesn't need to. The Geostigma is a hard thing to suffer through, but he's never been one to bow to anything or anyone, so why should this disease be any different.

Kadaj glares down at him, his catlike eyes narrowed nearly to slits. He knows that this man knows where Mother is. He's alluded to it many times in their short acquaintance, and he can see it there, in his eyes. He hears a voice whisper in his mind, a voice that speaks only of failure, and of Mother not loving him.

He opens his eyes and they flash at Rufus for a minute. "Shut up!" he says, heatedly, though his voice doesn't ever raise.

Rufus smiles from under the blanket that hides most of his face. "Do you think I will give anything to you? I am a businessman, not a philanthropist. What have you done for me that would make me inclined to help you?"

Kadaj takes a step towards him, and his hand moves nearer to his sword. "We let you live," he says, disdain dripping from every word.

"Let me live? If you can call my current existence living, I suppose you have done that. But if you end this existence, then you will still have nothing. It will benefit neither of us for you to kill me. And therefore, it does not benefit me that you have _let me live_, does it?"

Kadaj glares at him, in the same way a petulant child might. Really, Kadaj is not so different from a petulant child in other ways. Rufus has not failed to notice this. He also has not failed to notice that Kadaj has a tendency to come here to him on his own, without the other two. It could be advantageous, really.

"Tell me where she is!" Kadaj demands.

Rufus reaches up with his good hand and pulls the blanket away from his face. Kadaj has seen him before, and there is no one else here. Of course, Rufus is as vain as ever, but it won't do for them to not be face to face for this. It would be more like hiding. There is a level of deception here, as there is in so much that Rufus does. But he can concede one thing, in order to take control over the situation better.

And take control is exactly what he means to do.

"You are so sure that I know that," he says. Kadaj's gaze levels with his own, and he knows that the other man _knows_. But he can't prove it. He can't make this go any easier.

"_Tell me where she is_," Kadaj says again, insistent, _demanding_.

Rufus feels an irrational measure of anger boil inside him. _No one_ tells him what to do, especially with such blatant disrespect. This will have to be remedied.

"What will you give me for my cooperation, Kadaj?"

Kadaj considers this. Rufus is well-aware of his predatory nature - he can see it in his eyes, see it in the way his stance changes. It is far from a concession. But Rufus knows how to deal with desperation _quite_ well by now, and he knows how to identify it, as he has in the man that stands before him. If one could even really call him a man.

Finally, Kadaj breaks the silence. "What do you want, _shachou_?" he asks. Rufus bristles internally at the way he says that title. No respect whatsoever. He can hardly stand to hear it.

"It's simple, really. _Your_ cooperation in exchange for my own."

"I don't trust your words! What will you really do?" Kadaj says. His words bite. Rufus knows that the other doesn't trust him. Really, he has no reason to. And even so, he has no intention of really telling Kadaj and his "brothers" what he knows about the whereabouts of Jenova. Or, well, what's left of her. But he _is_ a businessman, and a shrewd one, at that.

"My men can help you, faster than you can on your own."

"Your men would stand in our way!"

"Not if I tell them otherwise," Rufus replies, never faltering.

Kadaj looks away from him for a moment, then tilts his head and replies, softly, "What kind of cooperation do you expect from me?"

Rufus lets himself smile _just_ slightly. Kadaj is really only good with bullying, not with negotiating. This could have been much harder. It's almost a shame that it wasn't, but it was all right. It would become a done deal rather quickly.

The blond rests his chin on his good hand and regards Kadaj for a long minute before he continues. "It's not really as simple as cooperation. There is nothing you have that I want."

He sees anger rise in the other man's eyes, sees him open his mouth to speak, but continues, "However, I'm sure there is something you could _do_, if nothing you could _give_."

Kadaj shuts his mouth and narrows his eyes again. He hasn't the slightest idea what the blond man is thinking, what he is planning. It's infuriating, but Rufus is right - if he kills him, he will lose.

_Mother._

"Stop playing with me and tell me what you want me to 'do'."

It will do well enough.

Rufus sits up straighter and crosses his arms. "Can you follow directions, Kadaj?"

Kadaj crosses his arms right back. His eyes are still narrowed, still suspicious. He doesn't understand the rules of this game, and because of that, he is losing. He knows it, but he had no choice but to concede. If Rufus will not cooperate after that, he and his brothers will take drastic measures. But for now, perhaps he can allow this concession. Though he's not sure he's thrilled with it. He doesn't answer.

"I'm waiting," Rufus says, sounding more impatient than he feels. Really, he can do this all day. Kadaj is the more impatient of the two of them, after all.

"If I have to."

The answer is less than acceptable by Rufus's standards, but they can work on that. The blond shifts in his chair a little. "Can you? I'm not so sure."

"I told you to stop playing games with me."

"So you did," Rufus says, nodding. He lets his gaze run down Kadaj's body. The leather is a bit much, isn't it? Really.

"Take off your clothes, then."

Kadaj's eyes go wider than Rufus has ever seen them go. He can see indignance there, and refusal. Kadaj will not be told what to do _that_ easily.

"So you can't follow directions, then? Well. What would your mother say?" Rufus says, pushing buttons on purpose. Kadaj's gloved hands clench into fists, and Rufus wonders what kind of internal struggle he's having. Even if he storms out and does nothing, at least it will have been an entertaining venture. As far as Rufus is concerned, he has nothing at all to lose. Kadaj has plenty to lose, of course - the trail of his "mother", whatever help he's already getting from what's left of ShinRa, and his dignity. It's really the last of those that has Rufus most interested in him.

Kadaj swallows his words and lets himself agree to this. Anything to find her, anything to keep Rufus's annoying underlings out of their way, anything for a lead. Even if it's humiliating, if it brings him closer to Mother, he will do absolutely _anythinig_. Even this.

It takes him another minute before he works up the courage to do as Rufus says. He is determined, however, to keep hold of his dignity. He is young, but proud in his own right. He stands at his full height, clothes around him on the floor. He isn't exactly embarrassed by it, and Rufus can still see that ridiculous defiance dancing in his eyes. Well, that will have to go, as well.

The blond holds out his unbandaged hand to Kadaj. "Come here."

Kadaj regards his hand as if it is a snake, and might bite him at any moment, but he finally closes the short distance between them anyway. He doesn't bother taking Rufus's hand.

Rufus feigns annoyance, lets the look cross his face, makes sure that Kadaj sees it. He does. Good.

He moves his hand, letting it rest on the smooth skin just above Kadaj's hip. His skin doesn't feel quite human. Why this is surprising, Rufus can't say. What was he expecting it to feel like? Not like this. Kadaj may struggle with his own thoughts of inferiority, but there is nothing about his body that is not perfect. Even without letting his hands explore, Rufus can tell that much.

Rufus raises his other hand, as well, ignoring the bandages there. Kadaj certainly has no reason to complain about this disease, after all. He lets it rest opposite the first hand, and pulls the other man forward, closer to him.

"Get on your knees," he says, withdrawing his hands. He is no longer playing games. It has been a long time, now, really. And even if Kadaj will give him nothing, even if he will not break as Rufus wishes him to, at least he has come this far. If there is not any kind of respect between them, then there will be no agreement at all. Surely even Kadaj knows this much.

There is hesitation there, but Kadaj says nothing, and obeys. There is anger in his eyes, hotter than anything else about him, but he obeys nonetheless. Rufus cares nothing for his anger - he cares only for obedience and respect.

"If you cannot do as you are told," he says, affecting a disinterested, almost conversational tone, "then I will give you nothing."

The anger flashes hotter, though Kadaj tries to hide it. Rufus can tell that he's clenching his jaw, but that's fine, so long as he doesn't clench it when it matters.

Rufus moves the blankets away from his lap. He could stand up, could make this all easier, but standing up takes slight effort. And besides, it's better that Kadaj doesn't realize he can stand at all. This perceived weakness, after all, could become a great strength if he plays it correctly. For now, he will stay sitting.

"Do you need to be told what I want, or can you discern it for yourself?"

Kadaj watches his hands move without comment, but at the thought of what Rufus is actually telling him to do, he cannot stand it anymore. He stands again and moves to pull away.

Rufus is mostly unsurprised by his reaction, of course, and he reaches out and grabs Kadaj's wrist easily enough.

"I will _not_!" Kadaj tells him. His hand clenches, but he does not pull fully away.

Rufus draws him closer again. "Is that so..." he asks, but he is mostly disinterested in it. He hadn't expected much out of it. He does not know Kadaj well, but it is enough to know his temper is prone to flaring. He is not someone that will stay on his knees so easily.

Kadaj allows himself to be pulled closer, closer. Without the blankets, the chair that Rufus sits in seems a bit bigger, and he finds himself almost in the blond man's lap before he realizes that he is allowing this.

Rufus is unperturbed by their closeness. After all, he did initiate this. Kadaj is unwilling, perhaps, but his body is beginning to react. Interesting, really. Rufus wasn't expecting that, either.

He pulls the other man actually into his lap. Kadaj sits with his knees on either side of Rufus's. His hands come up to rest on the ShinRa president's shoulders, more to keep his balance than because he wants to touch him. He doesn't, he tells himself. He does not want this contact!

And yet, he allows it, even now.

Rufus's hands move on Kadaj's skin again, though he starts higher up this time, running his hands down the other man's chest, catching one thumb on his nipple as if it was an accident. He doesn't fail to notice the hitch in Kadaj's breath, or the way that nipple hardens under his touch. Perhaps Kadaj's skin is more sensitive than a normal human's is? _Interesting._

"The amount of cooperation I give you is in direct proportion to how well you follow directions," Rufus says. Really, he means "orders". But saying it that way might get a _less_ favorable response. And then where would they be? Back at square one.

He lets his hand linger, toying with the hardened flesh a little more. Kadaj does not answer him, and he does not raise his gaze to Kadaj's face. Not yet.

"You have given me no further directions," Kadaj says, his voice little more than a heated whisper. His hands tighten a little on Rufus's shoulders. Rufus has heard of what Kadaj and his "brothers" are capable of. Feats of inhuman strength and the like. He can feel that strength under the surface here, practically humming through the other man's body. He can feel it in his grip, as well, almost as if it is a threat. Kadaj could, perhaps, simply break him and leave him here, if he wished. He knows this, and yet he remains unafraid. It has not happened yet, and it will not happen now. Of this he is certain.

"You could not follow the last ones," Rufus says, scolding. He moves one hand along the other man's stomach, moving lower than he should, but not _that_ low. He feels Kadaj's hands move off his shoulders. Kadaj puts them instead on the back of the chair, letting them tighten there.

Rufus smiles to himself.

He moves his hands around to Kadaj's back and slides them down over the smooth skin, following the arch of his spine, and finally the curve of his ass. He lets his hands rest there for a moment, waiting. Kadaj tenses under his hands, uncertain of what to expect.

Without warning - why give one? - Rufus raises his good hand and brings it back, connecting hard with Kadaj's ass. The sound rings in the empty room, and Kadaj jumps, though out of surprise and not pain. Rufus spanks him again, not waiting for a real reaction, for a protest.

It takes three or four smacks before Kadaj finds words to say. He does not pull away, can't find it in him to pull away, but he certainly can't be expected to take this kind of humiliation.

"What are you--" he stumbles over his words, finding his face too hot, and finding himself distracted.

"Didn't your mother ever spank you when you were little?" Rufus asks. No humor is in his voice. He smacks Kadaj again, harder.

Kadaj's hands tighten on the chair so much that the metal strains under his hands. He jerks away from Rufus so fast that they both almost fall over. Rufus bites back his smile. The fact that it took that much to see Kadaj get so embarrassed was entertaining in and of itself.

Kadaj pulled his clothes back on in record time. Rufus crossed his arms and watched, not failing to notice that the other man had been plenty turned on by it already. Rufus wished he could tell if that was from the closeness, from the spanking, or from the mention of his precious _Mother_.

He would probably never know.

"Your cooperation is not necessary," Kadaj says, his words practically dripping venom. "And if you get in our way, there will be consequences."

Rufus doesn't miss the way his words almost trip over themselves, or the color in his pale cheeks.

He doesn't stop him from leaving. Let him go; he's certainly served to be entertaining enough for today.

After the door slams, he actually laughs.


End file.
